Does anyone have any information on why the water level has been so low at Oneill Forebay this year? It has been in the 218-219' range which makes sailing dangerous. I know the president of the Safety Patrol has been lobbying the various state agencies and officials but without much success. I have enjoyed sailing this spot May-July for 15 years and until the last year or two, lack of water typically hasn't been a problem.

As far as I can tell, this year has the worst water levels I've seen in the
past 15 years..It figures because this year has had some of the most
consistant wind in years. The rumors I've heard that the Water Dept.
people are complete dicks and don't give a rats ass about the water
level..I'm sure they would love to kick us all off the water. Typical
gov. attitudes apply here..

Low water levels have been a problem for years. Maybe with the
drought and little water coming from the mountains this year is somehow
causing low water levels to meet farmers needs??? I do know that
they've been draining the upper res faster than they usually do and
it started in Jan which is way early.

My guess that good water levels will return after the weeds grow in
and they finish draining the upper res for the year.

You can still sail there on 219 give or take .2 if you launch down by
the power lines just past the tree that ABK always camps at. There is
a nice trench there that goes 3/4 accross before shallow water happens.

I really don't understand why they can't supply water and keep a high
water level??? Could it be that they are just complete assholes (Water Dept)???

We were there over Memorial weekend...the water level was indeed low...you should see my fin. At least there were no weeds...yet.

What really amazed me was the lack of sailors there. In the old days
(by cracky) that place was filled with sailing campers. Sometimes people would park on the other side of the road. This last Memorial day weekend, there were only a few sailors, mostly old farts like me..in fact I really didn't even need to look when I jibed. This lack of sailors, on an very windy day, speaks volumes. Even the Santa Cruz side was empty. I guess that if they allowed Kiters there, it might be a another story. But the truth be told, it really IS a godforsaken place. At least the bugs don't bite.

I was on the safety patrol at San Luis for years. Water levels have always been a problem! The new president of the SLSSP needs to meet with the Water district in Sacramento. You can't negotiate with the folks at the Dam. They don't control the levels. It's computerized and not programmed locally. I have given up on the forebay and only sail there when water level is >220.0 and the wind is >25.

We were there over Memorial weekend...the water level was indeed low...you should see my fin. At least there were no weeds...yet.

What really amazed me was the lack of sailors there. In the old days
(by cracky) that place was filled with sailing campers. Sometimes people would park on the other side of the road. This last Memorial day weekend, there were only a few sailors, mostly old farts like me..in fact I really didn't even need to look when I jibed. This lack of sailors, on an very windy day, speaks volumes. Even the Santa Cruz side was empty. I guess that if they allowed Kiters there, it might be a another story. But the truth be told, it really IS a godforsaken place. At least the bugs don't bite.

Yeah, I remember the mid to late 90's when it would get crowded down
there and parking was a pain (I always sail on the SC side)..To tell ya the
truth, I like it now with no one around but it speaks volumes on how
windsurfing has totally declined in our area..Here in Santa Cruz you don't
see nearly as many people sailing It's beach or Natural Bridges..Oh well, I
still enjoy those 80 degree days down at the res when it's perfect, hand dragging 5.3..

I sailed the forebay on Saturday, June 16; a day when it was one of the only places in the area with wind, and it was very windy (I sailed a 4.2). (It was so windy that when I unstrapped my boards on top of my car, they flew off and one was damaged.) There were all of 5 sailors there, which is just as well as the sailable area was reduced due to the lowered water level.

I hadn't been there for about 15? years; this was an opportunity to check it out. Windsurfers are so uncommon that the young ranger at the guard post initially refused me entry because there was "no sailing allowed on the forebay... the wind's over 25MPH!". I told him that's why I drove 90 minutes to get there and he had to call someone to verify that windsurfers were indeed allowed to sail in these conditions. The water level while I was there was probably around 218.75 judging by the chart. It was necessary to walk through a little mud to get out to the deeper water, there were no weeds to speak of where I was. Reaches were probably about 45 seconds or so. There was small chop and you could get some air now and then.

"I sailed the forebay on Saturday, June 16; a day when it was one of the only places in the area with wind, and it was very windy...There were all of 5 sailors there, which is just as well as the sailable area was reduced due to the lowered water level. The water level while I was there was probably around 218.75..."

The water level this past weekend was up to 220, which is about as high as it has been this season. Maybe someone turned on the water...[/b]

"I sailed the forebay on Saturday, June 16; a day when it was one of the only places in the area with wind, and it was very windy...There were all of 5 sailors there, which is just as well as the sailable area was reduced due to the lowered water level. The water level while I was there was probably around 218.75..."

The water level this past weekend was up to 220, which is about as high as it has been this season. Maybe someone turned on the water...

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